The 8th annual Stumptown Comics Fest will take place on April 16th and 17th, and be held in its new location at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. In recent years the exhibition hall has been packed to the gills; this move to the Convention Center will give attendees room to breathe with 30,000 square feet of exhibition space (nearly double the square footage) and will allow the amount of table to be increased with room for future growth.

A small number of guests have already been confirmed for the next fest, from local, national, and even international stages. Guests are to include: Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Molly Crabapple (illustrator, founder of Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School), Kurt Busiek (writer for DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image), Larry Marder (Tales of the Beanworld), and Barry Deutsch (Hereville). This list is by no means complete, and regular announcements will be made over the coming months as more details are confirmed.

Indigo Kelleigh, founder of the Stumptown Comics Fest, is returning as the festival director for the next three years (2011-2013). Kelleigh brings his experience in both event coordination and the comics industry to the team, and is already working to make this upcoming year a peak at what’s to come. Shannon T. Stewart, Festival Director for the 2009 and 2010 fests and a current Board member of the Stumptown Comics Foundation, is supportive of Kelleigh’s involvement. “We’re all elated to have Indigo, the creator of the Fest, return to the position of Director,” says Stewart, “and I personally look forward to working with him and to the amazing ideas he has in store for Stumptown over not just this season, but the next few years leading to the ten year anniversary!”

This will be the eighth year of the Stumptown Comics Fest (founded 2004), which has become the largest creator-focused comics festival in the Northwest. The amount of comics fans attending the event continues to climb as does the national and international attention our local event garners from artists, writers, editors, and publishers. For continuing updates regarding the event, head to the official website at www.stumptowncomicsfest.com

Friday includes even more fun stuff to do:

6-8pm : graphic novel signings
- Will Dinski signing his debut graphic novel Fingerprints published by Top Shelf Productions
- Aaron Renier signing his YA graphic novel The Unsinkable Walker Bean published by First Second
- Zak Sally signing the third issue of Sammy the Mouse published by Fantagraphics
@ Big Brain Comics 1027 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis
8pm-12am : kick-off party
- The Great Confinement
- Dreamland Faces
- Robots from the Future
@ 501 Club 501 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis

And Saturday there’s a day of exhibitors and panels at the Soap Factory with a big after-party as well. And admission to all of this is FREE.

A first-year show, MIX lists its mission as:

MIX aspires to create new comics fans by reaching out to the local community and inviting them to learn to love comics again, or for the first time.  MIX is devoted to the idea that creators deserve affordable exhibition space and increasing opportunities to make sales, fans and friends.  By offering free admission and keeping table costs low, we hope to achieve these goals.

which sounds like a great way to show off the local scene.

Here’s a trailer with attendees and guests:

As always, it’s an eclectic mix, with many lesser known gems very much worthy of your attention:

Outstanding Artist
Eddie Campbell, Alec: The Years Have Pants (A Life-Sized Omnibus) (Top Shelf Productions)
Al Columbia, Pim & Francie: The Golden Bear Days (Fantagraphics Books)
Mike Dawson, Troop 142 (self-published & http://troop142.mikedawsoncomics.com)
John Pham, Sublife #2 (Fantagraphics Books)
Sully, The Hipless Boy (Conundrum Press)

Outstanding Anthology or Collection
The Hipless Boy, Sully (Conundrum Press)
Lemon Styles, David King (Sparkplug Comic Books)
Masterpiece Comics, R. Sikoryak (Drawn & Quarterly)
Red Snow, Susumu Katsumata (Drawn & Quarterly)
Ten Thousand Things to Do, Jesse Reklaw (self-published)

Outstanding Graphic Novel
The Complete Jack Survives, Jerry Moriarty (Buenaventura Press)
Market Day, James Sturm (Drawn & Quarterly)
Pim & Francie: Al Columbia (Fantagraphics Books)
The Summit of the Gods Volume 1, Yumemakura Baku and Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
Years of the Elephant, Willy Linthout (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

Outstanding Story
“John Wesley Harding” The Red Monkey Double Happiness Book, Joe Daly (Fantagraphics Books)
Market Day, James Sturm (Drawn & Quarterly)
Monsters, Ken Dahl (Secret Acres)
“Turd Place”, The Hipless Boy, Sully (Conundrum Press)
“Untitled”, Mome Fall 2009 (Vol. 16) (Mome) Laura Park (Fantagraphics Books)

Promising New Talent
Rina Ayuyang, Whirlwind Wonderland, (Sparkplug Comic Books & Tugboat Press)
Rami Efal, Never Forget, Never Forgive (Studio Namu)
Blaise Larmee, Young Lions (self-published)
Sully, The Hipless Boy (Conundrum Press)
Matt Wiegle, “The Orphan Baiter”, Papercutter #13 (Tugboat Press)

Outstanding Series
Ganges, Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics Books)
King-Cat Comics & Stories, John Porcellino (self-published)
Sublife, John Pham (Fantagraphics Books)
Summit of the Gods, Yumemakura Baku and Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
Troop 142, Mike Dawson (self-published)

Outstanding Comic
Blammo #6, Noah Van Sciver (Kilgore Books)
Eschew #2, Robert Sergel (Sparkplug Comic Books)
Flesh and Bone, Julia Gfrörer (Sparkplug Comic Books)
I Want You, Lisa Hanawalt (Buenaventura Press)
Sublife #2, John Pham (Fantagraphics Books)

Outstanding Mini-Comic
Don’t Drink from the Sea, Lilli Carré
Rambo 3.5, Jim Rugg
Stories by…Vol. 1, Martin Cendreda
Troop 142, Mike Dawson
Water Column #3, Josh Frankel

Outstanding Online Comic
Callahan Online, John Callahan (www.callahanonline.com/calarc.html)
I Think You’re Sauceome, Sarah Becan (www.sauceome.com)
The Lestrygonians, Stephen Gilpin (www.sgilpin.com/2010_site/Weekly_Comic_Strip/Weekly_Comic_Strip.html)
Reliable Comics, David King (www.reliablecomics.com)
Troop 142, Mike Dawson (troop142.mikedawsoncomics.com)

Buffy may be on a break, but that doesn’t mean that a Joss Whedon book isn’t the top selling “indie” comic this month as Serenity takes the top spot. Further down the list we have lots of Red Sonja comics, a Goon spin-off by Eric Powell, and yet more adaptations of movies and TV shows.

Dark Horse had a 3.53% unit share and a 5.30% dollar share, Image had a 3.38% unit share and a 3.88% dollar share, and IDW had a 3.07% unit share and a 3.67% dollar share.

I’ve listed every “indie” title in the top 200, every title from Image, Darkhorse, and IDW (ie. “the front of Previews”), and a selection of others.

Thanks to icv2.com and Milton Griepp for permission to use these numbers, which are estimates, and can be found here.

50. Serenity (Dark Horse)

06/2010: Serenity Float Out one shot - 35,266

Buffy may not have shipped this month, but that doesn’t mean a Joss Whedon series doesn’t get the top indie slot. The last series ended in May 2008 with sales of 52,428.

79. The Walking Dead (Image)

06/2005: The Walking Dead #20 - 16,915
06/2006: The Walking Dead #28 - 20,118
06/2007: The Walking Dead #38 - 22,193
06/2008: -
06/2009: The Walking Dead #62 - 23,910

=====
07/2009: The Walking Dead #63 - 24,001 (+0.3%)
08/2009: The Walking Dead #64 - 24,393 (+1.6%)
09/2009: The Walking Dead #65 - 24,892 (+2.0%)
10/2009: The Walking Dead #66 - 24,944 (+0.2%)
11/2009: The Walking Dead #67 - 24,666 (-1.1%)
12/2009: The Walking Dead #68 - 24,230 (-1.8%)
01/2010: The Walking Dead #69 - 23,695 (-2.2)
02/2010: The Walking Dead #70 - 23,999 (+1.3%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: The Walking Dead #71 - 24,567 (+2.4%)
05/2010: The Walking Dead #72 - 25,182 (+2.5%)
06/2010: The Walking Dead #73 - 25,645 (+1.8%)
                               6 month (+5.8%)
                               1 year (+7.3%)
                               2 year (n.a.)
                               3 year (+15.6%)
                               4 year (+27.5%)
                               5 year (+51.6%)

It climbs ever higher.

88. Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet (Dynamite)

03/2010: Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet #1 - 54,122
03/2010: Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet #2 - 32,866 (-39.3%) [36,004]
04/2010: Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet #3 - 29,552 (-17.9%)
05/2010: Kevin Smith's Green Hornet #4 - 26,292 (-11.0%)
06/2010: Kevin Smith's Green Hornet #5 - 23,841 (-9.3%)

There’re still at least six covers here, so the drops are very big for this point.

96. The Boys (Dynamite)

06/2007: The Boys #8 - 30,639
06/2008: The Boys #19 - 27,576
06/2009: The Boys #31 - 25,460

=====
07/2009: The Boys #32 - 25,231 (-0.8%)
08/2009: The Boys #33 - 24,684 (-2.1%)
09/2009: The Boys #34 - 24,502 (-0.7%)
10/2009: The Boys #35 - 24,841 (+1.4%)
11/2009: The Boys #36 - 23,471 (-5.5%)
12/2009: The Boys #37 - 24,025 (+2.4%)
01/2010: The Boys #38 - 22,203 (-7.6%)
02/2010: The Boys #39 - 21,905 (-1.3%)
03/2010: The Boys #40 - 22,022 (+0.5%)
04/2010: The Boys #41 - 21,552 (-2.1%)
05/2010: The Boys #42 - 21,479 (-0.3%)
06/2010: The Boys #43 - 21,390 (-0.4%)
                               6 month (-11,0%)
                               1 year (-16.0%)
                               2 year (-22.4%)
                               3 year (-30.2%)

Holding steady again. There’s another spinoff miniseries coming up.

101. Star Wars Legacy (Dark Horse)

06/2006: Star Wars Legacy #1 - 34,758
06/2007: Star Wars Legacy #13 - 32,149
06/2008: Star Wars Legacy #25 - 29,548
06/2009: Star Wars Legacy #37 - 23,704

=====
07/2009: Star Wars Legacy #38 - 23,162 (-2.3%)
08/2009: Star Wars Legacy #39 - 22,888 (-1.2%)
09/2009: Star Wars Legacy #40 - 22,555 (-1.5%)
10/2009: Star Wars Legacy #41 - 22,109 (-2.0%)
11/2009: Star Wars Legacy #42 - 21,659 (-2.0%)
12/2009: Star Wars Legacy #43 - 20,983 (-3.1%)
01/2010: Star Wars Legacy #44 - 20,341 (-3.1%)
02/2010: Star Wars Legacy #45 - 20,100 (-1.2%)
03/2010: Star Wars Legacy #46 - 19,790 (-1.5%)
04/2010: Star Wars Legacy #47 - 20,022 (+1.2%)
05/2010: Star Wars Legacy #48 - 19,954 (-0.3%)
06/2010: Star Wars Legacy #49 - 19,911 (-0.2%)
                               6 month (-5.1%)
                               1 year (-16.0%)
                               2 year (-32.6%)
                               3 year (-38.1%)
                               4 year (-42.7%)

The final storyarc has been very steady.

111. Angel (IDW)

06/2005: The Curse #2 14,657
06/2006: Spotlight: Wesley - 9,673
06/2007: -
06/2008: After the Fall #8 - 47,888
06/2009: Angel #22 - 27,496

=====
07/2009: Angel: After the Fall – Epilogue #23 - 24,003 (-12.7%)
08/2009: Angel #24 - 22,795 (-5.0%)
09/2009: Angel #25 - 23,815 (+4.5%)
10/2009: Angel #26 - 22,886 (-3.9%)
11/2009: Angel #27 - 20,731 (-9.4%)
12/2009: Angel #28 - 21,301 (+2.7%)
12/2009: Angel Annual #1 - 16,616 (-22.0%)
01/2010: Angel #29 - 20,280 (+22.5%)
02/2010: Angel #30 - 11,044 [19,394] (-4.4%)
03/2010: Angel #31 - 18,538 (-4.4%)
04/2010: Angel #32 - 17,942 (-3.2%)
05/2010: Angel #33 - 17,521 (-2.3%)
06/2010: Angel #34 - 17,467 (-0.3%)
                               6 month (-18.0%)
                               1 year (-36.5%)
                               2 year (-63.5%)
                               3 year (n.a.)
                               4 year (+80.6)
                               5 year (+19.2)

Another book that’s quite stable this month.

115. Conan the Cimmerian (Dark Horse)

06/2005: Conan #18 - 36,323
06/2006: Conan #29 - 32,049
06/2007: Conan #41 - 24,720
06/2008: -
06/2009: The Cimmerian #11 - 20,041

=====
07/2009: The Cimmerian #12 - 19,268 (-3.9%)
08/2009: The Cimmerian #13 - 18,881 (-2.0%)
09/2009: The Cimmerian #14 - 18,643 (-1.3%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: The Cimmerian #15 - 18,293 (-1.9%)
11/2009: The Cimmerian #16 - 17,778 (-2.8%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: Weight of Crown One Shot - 17,571 (-1.2%)
01/2010: The Cimmerian #17 - 17,356 (-1.2%)
02/2010: The Cimmerian #18 - 17,074 (-1.6%)
03/2010: The Cimmerian #19 - 18,131 (+6.2%)
04/2010: The Cimmerian #20 - 16,393 (-9.6%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: The Cimmerian #21 - 16,421 (+0.2%)
                6 month (n.a.)
                1 year (-18.1%)
                2 year (n.a.)
                3 year (-33.6%)
                4 year (-48.8%)
                5 year (-54.8%)

Conan is running a few months late. I’m not sure why there was the increase here, though there was a Cary Nord cover this month.

116. Kevin Smith's Kato (Dynamite)
05/2010: Kevin Smith's Kato #1 – 19,720
06/2010: Kevin Smith's Kato #2 - 16,361 (-17.0%)

Smaller drop than I expected. I guess all these Green Hornet comics are going to sell fairly well.

121. Star Wars Invasion (Dark Horse)

07/2009: Invasion #1 (of 5) - 24,548
08/2009: Invasion #2 (of 5) - 21,004 (-14.4%)
09/2009: Invasion #3 (of 5) - 19,798 (-5.7%)
10/2009: Invasion #0 - 19,714 (-0.4%)
10/2009: Invasion #4 - 19,138 (-2.9%)
11/2009: Invasion #5 - 18,315 (-4.3%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: -
02/2010: -
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: Star Wars Invasion: Rescues #1 - 17,911(-2.2%)
06/2010: Star Wars Invasion: Rescues #2 - 16,098 (-10.1%)

That’s a good second issue drop, not a good drop for what is basically issue 7 of the series though.

123. Star Wars Dark Times (Dark Horse)

06/2008: Dark Times #12 - 23,888
06/2009: -

=====
07/2009: -
08/2009: Blue Harvest #0 - 18,601 (-3.4%)
08/2009: Dark Times #14 Blue Harvest pt 2 (of 5) – 18,477 (-0.7%)
09/2009: -
10/2009: -
11/2009: -
12/2009: -
01/2010: Dark Times #15 - 17,485 (-5.4%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: -
04/2010: Dark Times #16 - 17,173 (-1.8%)
05/2010:  -
06/2010: Dark Times #17 - 16,041 (-6.6%)
                6 months (n.a.)
                1 year (n.a.)
                2 year (-32.8%)

Final issue.

125, 127. Invincible (Image)

06/2005: Invincible #24 - 11,818
06/2006: Invincible #33 - 12,940
06/2007: Invincible #42 - 15,955
06/2008: Invincible #50 - 16,731
06/2009: Invincible #63 - 15,226

=====
07/2009: Invincible #64 - 15,535 (+2.0%)
08/2009: Invincible #65 - 15,621 (+0.6%)
09/2009: Invincible #66 - 15,931 (+2.0%)
10/2009: Invincible #67 - 15,831 (-0.6%)
11/2009: Invincible #68 - 15,542 (-1.8%)
12/2009: Invincible #69 - 15,161 (-2.5%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: Invincible #70 - 14,953 (-1.4%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: Invincible Returns #1 - 19,933 (+33.3%)
04/2010: Invincible #71 - 18,996 (-4.7%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Invincible #72 - 15,689 (-17.4%)
06/2010: Invincible #73 - 15,340 (-2.2%)
                6 month (+1.2%)
                1 year (+0.7%)
                2 year (-8.3%)
                3 year (-3.9%)
                4 year (+18.5%)
                5 year (+29.8%)

Two issues this month as it tries to get back on schedule. I really expected this series to keep more of the sales from the huge bump a few months back.

139. Chew (Image)

06/2009: Chew #1 - 5,248 [13,517]

=====
07/2009: Chew #2 - 6,735 (-24.6%)
08/2009: Chew #3 - 13,762 (+104.3%)
09/2009: Chew #4 - 12,294 (-10.7%)
10/2009: Chew #5 - 13,498 (+9.8%)
11/2009: Chew #6 - 13,139 (-2.7%)
12/2009: Chew #7 - 12,902 (-1.8%)
01/2010: Chew #8 - 12,727 (-1.4%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Chew #9 - 12,866 (+1.1%)
04/2010: Chew #10 - 13,335 (+3.6%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Chew #11 - 13,204  (-1.0%)
                6 month (+2.3%)
                1 year (-2.3%)

Small decrease for the beginning of the third arc. The trade of the second arc is the second best selling graphic novel of the month, selling 6,549 copies. Meanwhile, sales of volume one have reached 16,019 copies.

142, 179, 202. Red Sonja (Dynamite)

06/2005: Red Sonja #1 - 80,603
06/2006: Red Sonja #11 - 31,176
06/2007: Red Sonja #23 - 20,641
06/2008: Red Sonja #34 - 15,307
06/2009: Red Sonja #45 - 12,030

=====
07/2009: Red Sonja #46 - 11,993 (-0.3%)
08/2009: Red Sonja #47 - 11,709 (-2.4%)
09/2009: Red Sonja #48 - 11,815 (+0.9%)
10/2009: Red Sonja #49 - 11,487 (-2.8%)
10/2009:
11/2009:
12/2009: -
01/2010:
02/2010:
03/2010:
04/2010:
05/2010: -
06/2010: Red Sonja #50 - 13,017 (+13.3%)
06/2010: Red Sonja Annual #3 - 8,098 (-37.8%)
                6 month (n.a.)
                1 year (-32.7%)
                2 year (-47.1%)
                3 year (-60.8%)
                4 year (-74.0%)
                5 year (-90.0%)

10/2009: Queen Sonja #1 - 13,849
11/2009: Queen Sonja #2 - 12,024 (-13.2%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: Queen Sonja #3 - 10,768 (-10.4%)
02/2010: Queen Sonja #4 - 10,766 (-0.0%)
03/2010: Queen Sonja #5 - 10,393 (-3.5%)
04/2010: Queen Sonja #6 - 9,800 (-5.7%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Queen Sonja #7 - 9,879 (+0.8%)

Red Sonja 50? Yeah, I’m a bit confused by that showing up now too. Apparently Dynamite are going to be continuing that series as well as Queen Sonja, plus other miniseries. Does the market really need that many Red Sonja titles? I can’t imagine it can support them all.

143. BPRD (Dark Horse)

06/2006: Universal Machine #3 - 16,040
06/2007: Garden of Souls #4 - 15,858
06/2008: War on Frongs #1 - 16,799
06/2009: War on Frogs #3 (of 4) - 13,828

=====
07/2009: 1947 #1 (of 5) - 15,845 (+14.6%)
08/2009: 1947 #2 (of 5) - 14,893 (-6.0%)
09/2009: 1947 #3 (of 5) - 14,810 (-0.6%)
10/2009: 1947 #4 (of 5) - 14,505 (-2.0%)
11/2009: 1947 #5 (of 5) - 13,977 (-3.6%)
12/2009: War on Frogs #4 (of 4) - 12,904 (-7.7%)
01/2010: King of Fear #1 - 14,081 (+9.1%)
02/2010: King of Fear #2 - 13,123 (-6.8%)
03/2010: King of Fear #3 - 12,874 (-1.9%)
04/2010: King of Fear #4 - 12,480 (-3.1%)
05/2010: King of Fear #5 - 12,519 (+0.3%)
06/2010: Abe Sapien Abysmal Plain #1 - 13,010 (+3.9%)
                               6 month (+0.8%)
                               1 year (-5.9%)
                               2 year (-22.6%)
                               3 year (-18.0%)
                               4 year (-18.9%)

I wasn’t sure if I should compare these to the previous Abe Sapien series (15,193 for a one shot last October), but as BPRD is on a skip month I thought it better to include it here.

Volume 10 of Hellboy has first month sales of 5,776.

144. GI Joe (IDW)

06/2006: America’s Elite #12 (Devil’s Due) - 17,777
06/2007: America’s Elite #24 (Devil’s Due) - 15,073
06/2008: -
06/2009: GI Joe #6 - 20,809

=====
07/2009: GI Joe #7 – 20,319 (-2.4%)
08/2009: GI Joe #8 – 18,750 (-7.7%)
09/2009: GI Joe #9 – 17,436 (-7.0%)
10/2009: GI Joe #10 – 16,264 (-6.7%)
11/2009: GI Joe #11 – 15,527 (-4.5%)
12/2009: GI Joe #12 – 14,824 (-4.5%)
12/2009: GI Joe #13 – 15,759 (+6.3%)
01/2010: GI Joe #14 – 14,030 (-11.0%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: GI Joe #15 – 13,607 (-3.0%)
03/2010: GI Joe #16 – 13,288 (-2.3%)
04/2010: GI Joe #17 – 13,129 (-1.2%)
05/2010: GI Joe #18 – 12,776 (-2.7%)
06/2010: GI Joe #19 – 12,849 (+0.6%)
6 month (-18.5%)
1 year (-38.3%)
2 year (n.a.)
3 year (-14.8%)
4 year (-27.7%)

Slight increase.

146. Irredeemable (Boom)

06/2009: Irredeemable #3 - 12,838

=====
07/2009: Irredeemable #4 - 13,623 (+6.1%)
08/2009: Irredeemable #5 - ??? (???)
09/2009: Irredeemable #6 - 14,128 (+3.7%)
10/2009: Irredeemable #7 - 14,282 (+1.1%)
11/2009: Irredeemable #8 - 13,688 (-4.2%)
12/2009: Irredeemable #9 - 13,515 (-1.3%)
01/2010: Irredeemable #10 - 13,106 (-3.0%)
02/2010: Irredeemable #11 - 12,912 (-1.5%)
03/2010: Irredeemable #12 - 13,058 (+1.1%)
04/2010: Irredeemable Special #1 - 12,411 (-5.0%)
05/2010: Irredeemable #13 - 12,784 (+3.0)
06/2010: Irredeemable #14 - 12,608 (-1.4%)
                               6 month (-6.7%)
                               1 year (-1.8%)

Drops a little. Volume three of the collections has first month sales of 3,493.

147. Transformers Ongoing (IDW)

06/2009: All Hail Megatron #12 - 12,124

=====
07/2009: All Hail Megatron #13 - 11,892 (-1.9%)
08/2009: All Hail Megatron #14 - 11,736 (-1.3%)
09/2009: All Hail Megatron #15 - 11,634 (-0.9%)
10/2009: All Hail Megatron #16 - 11,281 (-3.0%)
11/2009: Transformers Ongoing #1 - 15,220 (+34.9%)
12/2009: Transformers Ongoing #2 - 12,516 (-17.8%)
01/2010: Transformers Ongoing #3 - 12,609 (+0.7%)
02/2010: Transformers Ongoing #4 - 12,221 (-3.1%)
03/2010: Transformers Ongoing #5 - 11,994 (-1.9%)
04/2010: Transformers Ongoing #6 - 12,171 (+1.5%)
05/2010: Transformers Ongoing #7 - 11,932 (-2.0%)
06/2010: Transformers Ongoing #8 - 12,360 (+3.6%)
                               6 month (-1.3%)
                               1 year (+1.9%)

Bouncing up and down like the Megatron series.

148, 158, 164, 169. Predators (Dark Horse)

06/2010: Predators #1 - 12,283
06/2010: Predators #2 - 11,237 (-8.5%)
06/2010: Predators #3 - 10,811 (-3.8%)
06/2010: Predators #4 - 10,390 (-3.9%)

Weekly prequel to the movie. The Aliens vs. Predator series is running late.

151. Spike (IDW)

06/2007: Shadow Puppets 1 - 7,834
06/2008: -
06/2009: -

=====

06/2010: Spike The Devil You Know #1 - 12,057

                               3 year (+53.9%)

The Spike After the Fall miniseries ended with sales of about 30,000 a few years ago. Interest in this franchise has really dropped off since then.

159. Incorruptible (Boom)

12/2009: Incorruptible #1 - 15,710
01/2010: Incorruptible #2 - 12,635 (-19.6%)
02/2010: Incorruptible #3 - 11,860 (-6.1%)
03/2010: Incorruptible #4 - 11,749 (-0.9%)
04/2010: Incorruptible #5 - 3,642 [11,542] (-1.8%)
05/2010: Incorruptible #6 - 11,517 (-0.2%)
06/2010: Incorruptible #7 - 11,091 (-3.7%)

                               6 month (-29.4%)

Standard drop.

161, 187. Mouse Guard (Archaia)

06/2010: Legends of the Guard #1 - 10,918
06/2010: Legends of the Guard #2 - 9,113 (-16.5%)

Spin off anthology featuring stories by various writers.

163. Buzzard (Dark Horse)

06/2010: Buzzard #1 - 10,888

Spinoff from The Goon, written and drawn by Eric Powell.

165. Kato Origins (Dynamite)

04/2010: Origins Way of the Ninja #1 - 13,172
05/2010: -
06/2010: Origins Way of the Ninja #2 - 10,668 (-19.0%)

Average drop.

171. Green Hornet Parallel Lives (Dynamite)

06/2010: Parallel Lives #1 - 10,322

This one is apparently based on the movie continuity.

173. Crossed (Avatar)

06/2009: -

=====
07/2009: Crossed #6 (of 9) - 13,382 (+9.3%)
08/2009: -
09/2009: -
10/2009: Crossed #7 - 14,238 (+6.4%)
11/2009: -
12/2009: Crossed #8 - 12,757 (-10.4%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: -
03/2010: Crossed #9 - 12,374 (-3.0%)
04/2010: Crossed Family Values #1 - 10,704 (-13.5%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Crossed Family Values #2 - 10,165 (-5.0%)
                6 month (-20.3%)

That’s a good second issue drop.

174. GI Joe Cobra II (IDW)

06/2009: GI Joe Cobra #4 - 16,739 (-6.4%)

=====
07/2009: -
08/2009: -
09/2009: -
10/2009: -
11/2009: -
12/2009: -
01/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #1 - 12,062 (-27.9%)
02/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #2 - 11,121 (-7.8%)
03/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #3 - 10,562 (-5.0%)
04/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #4 - 10,384 (-1.7%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #5 - 10,136 (-2.4%)
                6 month (n.a.)
                1 year (-39.9%)

First issue as an ongoing.

176, 194. Grimm Fairy Tales (Zenescope)

06/2006: Grimm Fairy Tales #6 - 5,234
06/2007: Grimm Fairy Tales #15 - 7,158
06/2008: Grimm Fairy Tales #27 - 9,667
06/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #39 - 10,099

=====
07/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #40 - 9,616 (-4.8%)
08/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #41 - 10,600 (+10.2%)
09/2009: -
10/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #42 - 9,070 (-14.4%)
11/2009: -
12/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #43 - 10,246 (+13.0%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: -
03/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #44 - 8,824 (-13.9%)
03/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #45 - 8,916 (+1.0%)
04/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #46 - 8,694 (-2.5%)
05/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales Annual Las Vegas - 8,462 (-2.7%)
06/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #47 - 8,721 (+3.2%)
06/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #48 - 10,011 (+14.8%)
                               6 month (-2.3)
                               1 year (-0.9)
                               2 year (+3.6)
                               3 year (+39.9%)
                               4 year (+91.3%)

Two issues this month. Zenescope really seem to have upped their output this year.

178. Project Superpowers (Dynamite)

06/2008: Project Superpowers #4 (of 7) - 33,124
06/2009: Chapter Two #0 - 31,828

=====
07/2009: Chapter Two #1 - 22,282 (-30.0%)
08/2009: Chapter Two #2 - 17,377 (-22.0%)
09/2009: Chapter Two #3 - 15,717 (-9.6%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: Chapter Two #4 - 14,980 (-3.2%)
12/2009: Chapter Two #5 - 12,794 (-14.6%)
01/2010: Chapter Two #6 - 11,923 (-6.8%)
02/2010: Chapter Two #7 - 21,688 (+81.9%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: Chapter Two #8 - 10,724 (-50.6%)
05/2010: Chapter Two #9 - 10,132 (-5.5%)
06/2010: Chapter Two #10 - 9,892 (-2.4%)
                               6 month (-22.7%)
                               1 year (-68.9%)
                               2 year (-70.1%)

Ends with issue 12.

182. Turf (Image)

04/2010: Turf #1 - 14,033
05/2010: -
06/2010: Turf #2 - 9,668  (-31.1%)

Issue one apparently sold out of its initial print run of 20,000 copies (though that would have included high sales in the UK not included here), so this drop off seems a bit on the steep side.

185. Terry Moore’s Echo (Abstract)

07/2009: Echo #13 - 10,783 (-2.8%)
08/2009: Echo #14 - 10,663 (-1.1%)
09/2009: Echo #15 - 10,529 (-1.3%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: Echo #16 - 10,234 (-2.8)
12/2009: Echo #17 - 10,282 (+0.5%)
01/2010: Echo #18 - 10,137 (-1.4%)
01/2010: Echo #19 - 4,978 [9,787] (-3.5%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Echo #20 - 9,378 (-4.2%)
04/2010: -
05/2010: Echo #21 - 6,611 (-29.5%)
06/2010: Echo #22 - 9,277 (+40.3%)

The missing copies from last month failed to chart.

186. Hack Slash (Image)

06/2007: Hack Slash #2 (Devil’s Due) - 6,081
06/2008: Hack Slash #12 (Devil’s Due) - 6,135
06/2009: Hack Slash #23 (Devil’s Due) - 6,022

=====
07/2009: -
08/2009: Hack Slash #24 - 5,069 (-15.8%)
08/2009: Hack Slash #25 - 5,326 (+5.1%)
09/2009: Hack Slash #26 - 5,400 (+1.4%)
10/2009: Hack Slash #27 - 6,005 (+11.2%)
11/2009: -
12/2009: Hack Slash #28 - 6,260  (+4.2%)
01/2010: Hack Slash #29 - 5,935 (-5.2%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Hack Slash #30 - 5,647  (-4.9%)
04/2010: Hack Slash #31 - 5,566 (-1.4%)
04/2010: Hack Slash #32 - 5,344  (-4.0%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Hack Slash My First Maniac #1 - 9,270 (+66.5%)

                6 month (+48.1%)
                1 year (+53.9%)
                2 year (+51.1%)
                3 year (+52.4%)

Hack Slash has been pretty stable over the last few years, and the move to Image has an immediate affect. It’ll be interesting to see if it manages to hold onto these sales or if they drop down to previous levels.

188. Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island (Avatar)

02/2010: Captain Swing #1 - 10,167
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: -
06/2010: Captain Swing #2 - 9,063 (-10.9%)

Warren Ellis comic that is running late. Shipping books this randomly can’t help readers to come back for the next issue.

190. Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Neverland (Zenescope)

03/2010: Neverland #1 - 10,401
04/2010: Neverland #2 - 7,961 (-23.5%)
05/2010: -
06/ 2010: Neverland #3 - 9,006 (+13.1%)

More interest than expected or just a really hot cover?

191. Jurassic Park (IDW)

06/2010: Jurassic Park Redemption #1 - 8,941

IDW are also releasing this (and lots, if not all, of their other comics) digitally, so must be hoping to attract fans of the movie. Features a cover by Frank Miller.

196. GI Joe Hearts and Minds (IDW)

05/2010: Hearts and Minds #1 - 11,039
06/2010: Hearts and Minds #2 - 8,592 (-22.2%)

Standard second issue drop.

197. Transformers Ironhide (IDW)

05/2010: Ironhide #1 - 9,019
06/2010: Ironhide #2 - 8,546 (-5.2%)

Tiny second issue drop, a good sign.

198. Magdalena (Image)

04/2010: Magdalena #1 - 10,648
05/2010: -
06/2010: Magdalena #2 - 8,327 (-21.8%)

Standard second issue drop.

200. Velocity (Image)

06/2010: Velocity #1 - 8,172

The winner of one of the previous Pilot Seasons finally gets a miniseries.

205. GI Joe Operation Hiss (IDW)

02/2010: Operation Hiss #1 - 10,140
03/2010: Operation Hiss #2 - 8,818 (-13.0%)
04/2010: Operation Hiss #3 - 8,581 (-2.7%)
05/2010: Operation Hiss #4 - 8,118 (-5.4%)
06/2010: Operation Hiss #5 - 7,947 (-2.1%)

Movie sequel.

206, 207. Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie)

06/2005: Sonic #151 - 8,258
06/2006: Sonic #163 - 7,469
06/2007: Sonic #176 - 7,082
06/2008: Sonic #189 - 7,074
06/2009: Sonic #201 - 8,001

=====
07/2009: Sonic #202 - 8,193 (+2.4%)
08/2009: Sonic #203 - 8,166 (-0.3%)
09/2009: Sonic #204 - 8,171 (0%)
10/2009: Sonic #205 - 8,263 (+1.1%)
11/2009: Sonic #206 - 8,353 (+1.1%)
12/2009: Sonic #207 - 8,198 (-1.9%)
01/2010: Sonic #208 - 8,006 (-2.3%)
02/2010: Sonic #209 - 7,819 (-2.3%)
03/2010: Sonic #210 - 7,925 (+1.4%)
03/2010: Sonic #211 - 7,786 (-1.8%)
04/2010: Sonic #212 - 7,973 (+2.4%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Sonic #213 - 7,893 (-1.0%)
06/2010: Sonic #214 - 7,936 (+0.5%)

                6 month (-3.2%)
                1 year (-0.8%)
                2 year (+12.2%)
                3 year (+12.1%)
                4 year (+6.3%)
                5 year (-3.9%)

Two issues this month with sales staying fairly stable.

211. Angel Barbary Coast (IDW)

04/2010: Barbary Coast #1 - 8,335
05/2010: Barbary Coast #2 - 7,844 (-5.9%)
06/2010: Barbary Coast #3 - 7,741 (-1.3%)

Small drop.

212. Yours Truly Jack the Ripper (IDW)

06/2010: Yours Truly Jack the Ripper #1 - 7,730

Adaptation of a Robert Bloch story.

218. Transformers Nefarious (IDW)

03/2010: Nefarious #1 - 8,810
04/2010: Nefarious #2 - 8,002 (-9.2%)
05/2010: Nefarious #3 - 7,354 (-8.1%)
06/2010: Nefarious #4 - 7,194 (-2.2%)

Standard drop.

221. Star Trek McCoy (IDW)

04/2010: McCoy #1 - 7,292
05/2010: McCoy #2 - 6,450 (-11.5%)
06/2010: McCoy #3 - 6,800 (+5.4%)

More interest in this one than retailers first thought. It’s written and drawn by John Byrne.

223. Star Trek Burden of Knowledge (IDW)

06/2010: Star Trek Burden of Knowledge  #1 - 6,757

Based on the original Star Trek characters.

224. Doctor Who Ongoing (IDW)

07/2009: Doctor Who #1 - 10,949
08/2009: Doctor Who #2 - 8,908 (-18.6%)
09/2009: Doctor Who #3 - 8,711 (-2.2%)
10/2009: Doctor Who #4 - 8,354 (-4.1%)
11/2009: Doctor Who #5 - 7,958 (-4.7%)
12/2009: Doctor Who #6 - 7,448 (-6.4%)
01/2010: Doctor Who #7 - 7,239 (-2.8%)
02/2010: Doctor Who #8 - 7,014 (-3.1%)
03/2010: Doctor Who #9 - 6,991 (-0.3%)
04/2010: Doctor Who #10 - 6,784 (-3.0%)
05/2010: Doctor Who #11 - 6,743 (-0.6%)
06/2010: Doctor Who #12 - 6,754 (+0.2%)

I can’t figure out any reason for this slight increase.

228. Chronicles of Wormwood (Avatar)

06/2007: Chronicles of Wormwood #4 - 7,796
06/2008: -
06/2009: -

10/2009: Last Battle #1 - 8,526
11/2009: Last Battle #2 - 7,433 (-12.8%)
12/2010: -
01/2010: -
02/2010: Last Battle #3 - 6,925 (-6.8%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: -
06/2010: Last Battle #4 - 6,700 (-3.2%)

            3 year (-14.1%)

I am really just confused at how Avatar releases their books.

229. Red Sonja Wrath of the Gods (Dynamite)

02/2010: Wrath of the Gods #1 - 8,941
03/2010: Wrath of the Gods #2 - 8,155 (-8.8%)
04/2010: Wrath of the Gods #3 - 7,626 (-6.5%)
05/2010: Wrath of the Gods #4 - 7,150 (-6.2%)
06/2010: Wrath of the Gods #5 - 6,695 (-6.4%)

The fourth Red Sonja title this month.

230. Solomon Kane (Dark Horse)

01/2010: Deaths Black Riders #1 - 8,266 (-16.0%)
02/2010: Deaths Black Riders #2 - 7,320 (-11.4%)
03/2010: Deaths Black Riders #3 - 6,899 (-5.8%)
04/2010: -
05/2010: -
06/2010: Deaths Black Riders #4 - 6,663 (-3.4%)

Running late.

234. Angelus (Image)

12/2009: Angelus #1 - 9,781
01/2010: -
02/2010: Angelus #2 - 7,277 (-25.6%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: Angelus #3 - 6,933 (-4.7%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Angelus #4 - 6,565 (-5.3%)

Leading in to some big Top Cow event.

237. Ghostbusters (IDW)

10/2009: Displaced Aggression #1 - 8,756
10/2009: Displaced Aggression #2 - 7,113 (-18.8%)
11/2009: Displaced Aggression #3 - 6,674 (-6.2%)
12/2009: Ghostbusters Past Present Future - 6,868 (+2.9%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: Ghostbusters Holiday Special Tainted Love - 5,817 (-15.3%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: -
06/2010: Ghostbusters Holiday Special Convolution #1 - 6,407 (+10.1%)

They go to a comic convention. Has art by Josh Howard who does Dead@17.

240. Darkwing Duck (Boom!)

06/2010: Darkwing Duck #1 - 6,300

Around upper middle of Boom’s recent Disney lauches.

263. Savage Dragon (Image)

06/2006: Savage Dragon #127 - 6,880
06/2007: -
06/2008: -
06/2009: Savage Dragon #149 - 6,060

=====
07/2009: Savage Dragon #150 - 6,619 (+9.2%)
08/2009: Savage Dragon #151 - 6,034 (-8.8%)
09/2009: Savage Dragon #152 - 5,993 (-0.7%)
10/2009: Savage Dragon #153 - 6,571 (+9.6%)
11/2009: Savage Dragon #154 - 5,885 (-10.4%)
12/2009: Savage Dragon #155 - 5,736 (-2.5%)
01/2010: Savage Dragon #156 - 6,152 (+7.3%)
02/2010: Savage Dragon #157 - 5,617 (-8.7%)
03/2010: Savage Dragon #158 - 5,578 (-0.7%)
04/2010: Savage Dragon #159 - 5,359 (-3.9%)
05/2010: Savage Dragon #160 - 5,411 (+1.0%)
06/2010: Savage Dragon #161 - 5,544 (+2.5%)
                              6 month (-3.3%)
                              1 year (-8.5%)
                              2 year (n.a.)
                              3 year (n.a.)
                              4 year (-19.4%)

Features Daredevil (the public domain one).

264. Battlefields (Dynamite)

06/2009: -

=====
07/2009: Tankies #3 - 6,834 (-3.0%)
08/2009: -
09/2009: -
10/2009: -
11/2009: -
12/2009: Happy Valley #1 - 7,193 (+5.3%)
01/2010: Happy Valley #2 - 6,038 (-16.1%)
02/2010: Happy Valley #3 - 5,840 (-3.3%)
03/2010: Battlefields #4 - 5,805 (-0.6%)
04/2010: Battlefields #5 - 5,582 (-3.8%)
05/2010: Battlefields #6 - 5,444 (-2.4%)
06/2010: Battlefields #7 - 5,484 (+0.7%)
                              6 months (-23.8%)
                              1 year (n.a.)

Tiny increase for the first part of a new story. I can’t imagine why Dynamite thought it would be a good idea to number this as a continuing series.

265, 275. Sam & Twitch (Image)

06/2005: Casefiles #18 - 5,372
06/2006: -
06/2007: -
06/2008: -
06/2009: -

=====
05/2010: Sam & Twitch: Writer #1 - 7,667
05/2010: Sam & Twitch: Writer #2 - 6,775 (-11.6%)
06/2010: Sam & Twitch: Writer #3 - 5,427 (-19.9%)
06/2010: Sam & Twitch: Writer #4 - 5,206 (-4.1%)

Two issues as the biweekly miniseries draws to a conclusion

270. Whatever Happened to Baron Von Shock? (Image)

05/2010: Whatever Happened to Baron Von Shock? #1 - 6,534
06/2010: Whatever Happened to Baron Von Shock? #2 - 5,253 (-19.6%)

Rob Zombie comic.

274. Dust Wars (Image)

06/2010: Dust Wars #1 - 5,212

Spinoff of a strategy RPG of some kind.

276. Robert E. Howard’s Hawks of Outremer (Boom!)

06/2010: Hawks of Outremer #1 - 5,199

Four issue miniseries.

278. Archie (Archie)

06/2006: Archie #567 - 2,893
06/2007: Archie #576 - 2,830
06/2008: Archie #586 - 2,774
06/2009: -
=====

07/2009: -
08/2009: Archie #600 - 54,170 [58,408] (+2,178.9%)
09/2009: Archie #601 - 37,871 (-35.2%)
10/2009: Archie #602 - 28,211 (-25.5%)
11/2009: Archie #603 - 25,799 (-8.5%)
12/2009: Archie #604 - 25,058 (-2.9%)
01/2010: Archie #605 - 24,803 (-1.0%)
02/2010: Archie #606 - 15,127 (-39.0%)
03/2010: Archie #607 - 5,013 (-66.9%)
04/2010: Archie #608 - 5,224 (+4.2%)
05/2010: Archie #609 - 4,848 (-7.2%)
06/2010: Archie #610 - 5,180 (+6.8%)
                              6 month (-%)
                              1 year (+79.4%)
                              2 year (n.a.)
                              3 year (+86.7%)
                              4 year (+83.0%)
                              5 year (+79.1%)

First part of The Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. a spy story considerably more action oriented than most Archie comics. Written by Tom DeFalco.

279. Amory Wars (Boom)

06/2007: Amory Wars #1 (Image) - 10,669
06/2008: Amory Wars II #1 (Image) - 9,402
06/2009: -

=====
05/2010: Keeping Secrets of Earth 3 #1 - 6,909
06/2010: Keeping Secrets of Earth 3 #2 - 5,178 (-25.1%)
                1 year (n.a.)
                2 year (-44.9%)
                3 year (-51.5%)

Comics based on Coheed and Cambria’s music. Cowritten by Peter David.

282. Cowboy Ninja Viking (Image)

10/2009: Cowboy Ninja Viking #1 - 8,380
11/2009: Cowboy Ninja Viking #2 - 6,394 (-23.7%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #3 - 6,062 (-5.2%)
02/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #4 - 5,651 (-6.8%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #5 - 3,928 (-30.5%)
05/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #6 - 5,100 (+29.8%)

Last month’s missing issues fail to chart, but sales overall are down.

288. Sea Bear & Grizzly Shark (Image)

06/2010:  Sea Bear & Grizzly Shark #1 - 4,932

One shot by the artists of Invincible and the Astounding Wolf-Man, so I thought it would have done a bit better. It did sell out and went to a second printing.

291. Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)

06/2005: Usagi Yojimbo #85 - 6,432
06/2006: Usagi Yojimbo #94 - 4,308
06/2007: -
06/2008: -
06/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #121 - 5,171

=====
07/2009: -
08/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #122 - 5,077 (-1.8%)
09/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #123 - 5,051 (-0.5%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #124 - 4,992 (-1.2%)
12/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #125 – 4,980 (-0.2%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #126 - 4,909 (-1.4%)
03/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #127 - 4,893 (-0.3%)
04/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #128 - 4,855 (-0.8%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #129 - 4,863 (+0.2%)
                6 month (-2.3%)
                1 year (-6.0%)
                2 year (n.a.)
                3 year (n.a.)
                4 year (+12.9%)
                5 year (-24.4%)

Fairly stable.

296. Dragon Age (IDW)

03/2010: Dragon Age #1 - 4,987
04/2010: -
05/2010: -
06/2010: Dragon Age #2 - 4,760 (-4.6%)

Video game spinoff produced by EA Comics.

300. Last Unicorn (IDW)

04/2010: Last Unicorn #1 - 5,366
05/2010: -
06/2010: Last Unicorn #2 - 4,528 (-15.6%)

Adaptation of the novel.

==========

Yeah, there's some formatting errors. I don't get them either.

Just a reminder, all numbers on this chart are estimates for comics sold by Diamond to the direct market. They include reorders that shipped in the same month. Books shipping in the first week of a month will have more time for reorders to appear than ones shipping in the last week of the month, when reorders will slip to the following month. These numbers don’t include sales through Diamond UK. They are low.

Matthew Murray really likes (vegetarian) cooking and zines and comics. Now if only he could somehow combine them.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen III Century #2 1969

Dark Horse

Given that pretty much all of the Spartans died at the Battle of Thermopylae — which was sort of the point — people have been speculating for years about how Frank Miller would wring a sequel out of his hit Dark Horse graphic novel and movie 300. Today, at Comic-Con, the answer came out. The sequel, XERXES, will actually take place at exactly the same time on another battlefield of the same war. 300’s director Zach Snyder revealed he is already working on a film script based on Miller’s upcoming graphic novel.

Meanwhile, Dark Horse released a never-before-seen clip from the in-progress animated movie based on Eric Powell’s THE GOON. The clip, which is several minutes long and contains a complete comedic scene, can be seen here. The movie’s producers are still seeking a studio to support the project.

Image

At the Image panel, it was announced that Marc Guggenheim is starting a new imprint, Collider Entertainment, for comics written by Hollywood scriptwriters without intending them to become movies. For extra novelty value, the projects are supposed to be original, and not repurposed spec scripts as is often the case. The first two comics from this line will be UTOPIAN, written by Guggenheim and his wife Tara Butters, a scriptwriter for REAPER, about a world in which heroes have become obsolete. The second, by Erich and John Hoeber, the screenwriters of the upcoming comics movie RED, is called THE MISSION, and is about a man commanded by possibly divine voices to kill people.

It was also announced that the upcomingWalking Dead television show based on Robert Kirkman’s hit Image comic will feature writing from none other than Kirkman himself.

Top Shelf

A sequel was announced for Jeffrey Brown’s cult classic giant-robots parody, THE INCREDIBLE CHANGE-BOTS. THE INCREDIBLE CHANGE-BOTS TWO will come out from Top Shelf and feature an amnesiac villain and lots of intentionally disposable new characters.

Also, art was revealed for the much anticipated LEAGUES OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN Vol.3: CENTURY #2 1969 from Kevin O’Neill and Alan Moore.

Fantagraphics

Fantagraphics has announced it will be publishing Floyd Gottfredson’s classic Mickey Mouse comic strips in full.

IDW

IDW has announced a new ROCKETEER anthology, featuring comics from big-name creators including Darwyn Cook, Bill Willingham, Kurt Busiek, and Mike Mignola among many, many others.

Kate Fitzsimons writes for Publishers Weekly, Publishers Weekly Comics Week, and her personal comics and geek culture blog geekiferous.com.

Legendary comic book master Will Eisner’s groundbreaking graphic novel “A Contract with God” is being adapted into a live action feature film, it was announced this evening at Comic- Con International 2010 by the film’s producers.  In what is considered by many to be one of the most influential graphic novels ever written, in “A Contract with God” Eisner utilizes the comic book format in an innovative and pioneering way to explore stories and memories from his childhood growing up in a New York City tenement. Each tale captures the brutality, fragility, and tenderness that exists among people living in close quarters in challenging economic times.
 
A quartet of acclaimed independent directors are attached to direct each of the graphic novel’s four adjoining chapters: Alex Rivera (“Sleep Dealer”); Tze Chun (“Children of Invention”); Barry Jenkins (“Medicine for Melancholy”); and Sean Baker (“Prince of Broadway,” MTV’s “Warren the Ape”).  The film will be produced and adapted for the screen by Darren Dean, whose first feature “Prince of Broadway,” about an illegal immigrant in contemporary New York City, is being released this fall and whose second feature, Rwanda-shot “Kinyarwanda” (directed by Alrick Brown) is in post-production, due for a festival bow in 2011.
 
The film adaptation of “A Contract with God” will be produced under the auspices of the Eisner estate in the spirit of the original work.  Bob Schreck, a 30-year veteran of the comic book industry and Michael Ruggiero, former head of original programming at STARZ, will serve as Co-Executive Producers.  Black Squirrel Films Co-Founder Tommy Oliver will serve as Co-Producer and Mark Rabinowitz, Co-Founder of indieWIRE.com, will serve as Associate Producer.
 
Focusing on the immigrant struggle,  “A Contract With God” takes a look at a salient theme across four separate but related stories, set primarily in a New York City tenement in the 1930s.  The four segments are: “A Contract With God” (Rivera), “The Street Singer” (Chun), “The Super” (Jenkins) and  “Cookalien,” (Baker). Each of the filmmakers comes to the project with a distinct aesthetic approach which will capture the diversity, style and essence of Eisner’s story. Nat Sanders (“Medicine for Melancholy,” “Humpday”) will serve as editor on the entire film.
 
The announcement regarding the film adaptation of “A Contract with God” was made this evening at the 22nd annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, which honors creative achievement in American comic books including induction ceremonies into the comics industry Hall of Fame, the first time such an announcement has been made at the Eisners. Will Eisner was a regular participant in the award ceremony until his death in 2005. 

Darren Dean said, “I look forward to finding the fine balance of offering Eisner fans a very faithful interpretation of his work and allowing the voices of these strong and competent filmmakers to be heard. We are all approaching the inaugural stage of this project with respect, honor and anticipation and hope that the fans will welcome us with both faith and scrutiny. This is for them, as much as any of us.”
  
Bob Schreck said, “Getting to know Will Eisner was one of the great honors of both my personal and professional journeys. We are all well aware that the work ahead has a very high bar of excellence to aspire to set by Mr. Eisner’s pioneering achievements in storytelling.”
 
Tze Chun said, “Before I became a filmmaker, I wanted to be a comic book artist, and I spent many nights poring over Eisner’s Comics & Sequential Art.  The book should be mandatory reading for every person who wants to be a storyteller regardless of their intended medium.  Eisner’s magnum opus, “A Contract With God,” is a master class in visual storytelling — groundbreaking, humanistic, moving, and rich in detail.  Within these four short stories, Eisner creates an entire world.  I’m very excited to be a part of the team that will bring this film to life.”
 
Key roles will be cast in the coming months with principal photography set to begin in 2011.

Alex Robinson, Dash Shaw, David Heatley, Dean Haspiel, Edu Medeiros, Farel Dalrymple, Frank Santoro, Gene Yang, Gilbert Hernandez, Harvey Pekar, Jaime Hernandez, Jeff Lemire, Jeffrey Brown, Jhonen Vasquez, Jillian Tamaki, Jon Vermilyea, Kate Beaton, Nick Gurewitch, Paul Hornschemeier, Paul Maybury, Rafael Grampa (that’s his cover above), Shannon Wheeler, Terry Moore, Tim Hamilton, Tony Millionaire, and the proverbial “and more.”

According to Sean T. Collins, who has more — an interview with editor Jody LeHeup – at marvel.com.

Viper Comics is proud to announce the partnership with Beverly Hills Chihuahua scribe, Jeff Bushell.  The Publisher and screen writer will debut his first graphic novel, Stu Bear In The 25th Century at San Diego Comic Con 2010.  
 
Jessie Garza with Viper states, “we are so thrilled to be working with Jeff and can’t wait to get Stu Bear into the hands of readers.” Visit us in booth #1903 at San Diego Comic Con for an advance look at the project.

Stu Bear In The 25th Century

When an incredibly lazy bear, STU, convinces his workaholic brother, AL, to let him hibernate deep into the spring, he’s caught in an avalanche and frozen solid.  Centuries later, Stu is discovered, defrosted and discovers his world has turned upside down.  Humans have devolved into monosyllabic surface-bound brutes; while evolved, hairless, intelligent bears, descended from his brother Al, (alongside other cool evolved animals) now live in floating high-tech cities above the earth.  Now AL JR., the great grandson (to the 25th power) of Stu’s brother, the original Al, takes Stu in and helps him adapt to the new world.  But when an incurable plague threatens to destroy all life above earth,  Al Jr. and Stu must embark on a dangerous mission to the surface of the earth to find a cure.
 
Jeff Bushell is a Peabody award winning television and screenwriter who is best known for creating and writing Disney’s talking dog franchise “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.”  In television he wrote for “The Bernie Mac Show”, “Mad TV”, “Drawn Together”, “Zoey 101″ and “What I Like About You”.  Bushell’s latest film project is an ”R” rated buddy comedy for Summit Entertainment starring James Franco.

Arcana Studio (Booth #2415) is proud to announce the legendary Stan Lee will be signing copies of Arcana’s new pop culture magazine Zedura at this year’s San Diego Comic Con!  
 
Stan Lee will be on hand to premiere the new documentary from 1821 Pictures, “With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story.” After the screening, 5 lucky fans will get the opportunity to meet Stan in a private meet and greet and get a signed copy of the new Zedura Magazine featuring Stan on the cover, as well as be invited to the exclusive Zedura Magazine/Stan Lee party. Also, actress Malese Jow from The Vampire Diaries will join Koni Waves writer/co-creator, Mark Poulton for a signing at the Arcana booth (#2415) to promote the upcoming Koni Konfidential. In addition, WWE Divas, the Bella Twins, will appear at the booth, as well as Thomas Jane! Be sure to stop by to meet all of your favorite Arcana creators including screenwriter Scott Milam who is debuting his new graphic novel, Killing Machine!
 
Clockwork Girl creator, Sean O’Reilly and Kevin Hanna will be on hand to host a panel on Thursday July 22nd from 11am to noon in Room 9 where they will premiere new footage from their upcoming animated film. Convention exclusives will include Preview Editions of upcoming Arcana graphic novels, A Cat Named Haiku tote bags, Koni Konfidential skateboards, and a line of new Arcana t-shirts! 
Premiering At SDCC

Arcana unveils several new books at this year’s San Diego Comic Con including the 240 page Koni Waves: The Perfect Wave hardcover, The Hope Virus GN, Redball 6 GN, Philospher Rex GN, Penance TPB, and Demonslayer TPB. In addition, for the first time all 5 volumes of Kade will be available in TPB!
 
Also, Arcana will offer preview editions of their hottest upcoming releases like Killing Machine, Koni Konfidential, Spotlight! 

Signing Times

 
This year Arcana has all of your favorite creators appearing at their booth (# 2415)! Be sure to stop by to meet creators, get sketches, and for a chance to win great prizes! Also, comic legend Chris Claremont will appear to sign copies of Arcana’s new Zedura Magazine! Times subject to change.
 
Thursday:
10am to 11:30am Ezra: Alfonso Ruiz
11am to Noon Zedura: Chris Claremont
Noon to 2pm Banshee & Straw: Mike Kalvoda
2:30pm to 3:30pm Zombie Warrior: Robert Kruckemeyer & Harry Walton: Henchman For Hire: Zachary Sherman & Matt Hebb
3pm to 4pm Zedura: Thomas Jane
4pm to 5pm El Arsenal: Salvador Vasquez
5:30pm to 7pm Penance: Sean Wise & Paul Gilligan & Harbor Moon: Ryan Colucci
 
Friday:
10am to 11:30am Scrooge and Santa: Matt Wilson & Josh Kerfield & Penance: Sean Wise & Paul Gilligan
Noon to 2pm Killing Machine: Scott Milam & Kenneth Loh & Divine Intervention: Frank Barbiere
2:30pm to 3:30pm El Arsenal: Salvador Vasquez
4pm to 5pm Loosely Based: Nikola Jajic & Michael Czernaiwski
5:30pm to 7pm Spotlight: Jim Hanna, Marat Mychaels, & Mark Poulton & Zombie Warrior: Robert Kruckemeyer
 
Saturday:
10am to 11:30am Harbor Moon: Ryan Colucci & Divine Intervention: Frank Barbiere
Noon to 2pm Koni Konfidential: Mark Poulton, Stephen Sistilli, Dexter Weeks, & Malese Jow
2:30pm to 3:30pm Penance: Sean Wise & Paul Gilligan & Wonderdog, Inc.: Scott Zirkel
5:30pm to 7pm Harry Walton: Henchman For Hire: Zachary Sherman & Matt Hebb & Redball 6 & Philsopher Rex: Ian & Jason Miller
 
Sunday:
10am to 11:30am Penance: Sean Wise & Paul Gilligan & Zedura: Matt Kindt
Noon to 2pm A Cat Named Haiku: Mark Poulton & Velvet Rope: Rachel Lee Taylor
2:30pm to 3:30pm The Evil Tree: Erik Hendrix 

Ape Entertainment announced today that it will provide attendees at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con with an advance look at FREAKSHOW, a new title co-created by David Server & Jackson Lanzing with art by rising star Joe Suitor (Spider-Man: Fear Itself, GI Joe: Helix).
 
The three-issue limited series follows the story of five mutated survivors after a devastating chemical explosion, which has left the world’s only superhero dead and his city trapped in a dangerous and mysterious quarantine. In the wake of the disaster, these five refugees must decide whether to use their powerful but defective new abilities to save the remains of the city or extract their revenge on those responsible.
 
“As readers, we’ve always gravitated towards the creatures and outsiders in comics, and this story comes from wanting to deconstruct those archetypes,” says Server. “When you’re born out of the most nightmarish origin you can imagine, where does that leave you? If your identity is ripped away and you’re left a monster, what might anyone be capable of?”
 
“While we’re playing with the iconography of superheroes, our characters aren’t traditionally ‘super-heroic,’” adds Lanzing. “They’re freaks, survivors of literally apocalyptic trauma. What we’re trying to do is let the reader into the mind of these damaged characters and challenge their expectations. FREAKSHOW is about finding heroism in yourself, even when it seems like there’s nothing left to save.”
 
Though the series won’t arrive in stores until early 2011, advance copies of FREAKSHOW #1 will be available for purchase at the Ape Entertainment booth (#2104) on the convention floor.  The issue features a cover by Suitor, as well as a special variant cover by comic industry legend Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The Boys).

Sookie and Nice, Non-Nazi Werewolf, Alcide Hevereaux

It hurts me to tell you what you already know – this recap is late.  Let’s just say my cable company sucks.  So there I was Sunday, all verklempt, with no hope of being cable ready until later this week.  But I turned that frown upside down when my homie, Shanna, suggested we go to Williamsburg watering hole, Sweet Ups, where every Sunday night True Blood airs, they party.  And with that the night became a crisitunity!

I got there half an hour early and score a seat right in front of one of the TV’s; just in time for a rundown of Sweet Ups’ True Blood drinking game rules, which are both cleverly referential and financially savvy for the bar. Every time Jason Stackhouse is shirtless or does something stupid, you take a drink.  Every time Lafayette calls someone a hooker, you take a drink.  The place was packed and getting more packed so I’m sure they make a killing every bloody Sunday.

Sweet Ups True Blood Regulars

Just like Sookie!  Well, not quite.  No thanks to Eric who jumps all slow-mo style in front of the bullet she shot at the werewolf who was up in her crib last week.  Eric takes the bullet and the werewolf reverts to human form in a V desperate frenzy.  He manages to get a bite of Northman chest before Eric throws him off.  Sookie shoots him in the leg, enabling Eric to pin him with his super vampire strength.   Eric demands to know the name of his master.  This extra skuzzy looking werewolf says Sheriff Northman can kill him before he’ll squeal.  Eric does but not before Sookie gets a read on the were’s thoughts.  Something about Jackson, Mississippi.  Then, with the best trashy, thank-god-ths- show-hardly-ever-takes-itself-seriously line of the episode right out off the bat, Eric’s slurs, “I got your rug all wet,”  with a deliriously happy smile on his face.  Sookie looks squishy too but in that, you know, half ashamed way of her’s.

The entire bar went nutso after that as the opening credits and the theme song rolled.  Also going nutso?  Bill and his host-captors down in Mississipi.  Tablot’s pretty pissed that Bill set Lorena on fire. But just because they had to put her out with an antique tapestry and he doesn’t know how he’s going to cover up the burn marks. No one gives a shit about Lorena.  Certainly not the King who assures Bill with ruthless diplomacy that he finds Lorena unsophisticated.  He’s really hoping Bill will come around.  And not just with the political backroom deals he’s hoping to get Bill’s help with.  The real question is when’s he going to turn Sookie?  Bill sincerely says that’s impossible.  The King says that’s keerazay!  Come on, Bill!  You can’t have it both ways!  Besides, if Bill doesn’t turn her, she’s going to die anyways –by the King’s hand.

For now, Sookie’s alive and well exchanging sexually charged looks with Eric as they dig a grave for the werewolf.  She confronts him for overreacting to the were’s Operation Werewolf mark when they needed him to get info on Bill. Eric once again alludes to the wrongs Operation WW has perpetrated in the past.  What the heck did these nazi werewolves do to him and Godric?  Muss up one of Godric’s tribal tats while trying to drain his V?  It must be pretty bad. It’s bad enough, at any rate, that Eric refuses to accompany to Sookie to Jackson, saying the problems of the world consist of more than her boyfriend. Oooooo, snap.  Sookie’s going anyways though.

Tara and the hot, dark, foreign vampire, on the other hand, are in the middle of a post redneck ass-kicking fuck that must be pretty good.  Her eyes are rolling back in her head like she’s in a trance.  Maybe he’s glamour fucking her?  Although she’s got enough control of her senses to beg him to bite her, which he refuses to do because she wants it.

Much like how I refuse to get on board with Sam’s long lost Shapeshifter family storyline even though True Blood really wants me to.  They’re fun, alcoholic, white trash animal people and all and the brother’s kind of cute but I fail to see how this is going to turn into anything as compelling as the other events currently going on in and around Bon Temps . Like Jason getting inspired to become a sheriff’s deputy.  Yes! Called it right here last week, hookers!

As Jason considers opportunities in law enforcement, Tara and Franklin pillow talk.  When he asks if she has a boyfriend, she’s visibly shaken and bails but not before we find out his name is Franklin.  More sex is going on over at Fangtasia where Pam is lunching on Yvetta’s lady parts. Unfortunately for Yvetta, Jessica calls at a critical moment, totally losing her cool over the dead truck stop guy’s disappearance. Pam’s like – no body, no problem, then muff dives back into business.

Over at Merlotte’s, Sam tells Sookie about his shape-shifting family.  Sookie takes the opportunity to ask Sam to keep an eye on Jessica while she heads to Jackson.  New couple alert?  For Hoyt’s sake, let’s hope not.  Poor, sweeet, good-hearted Hoyt. In addition to being Jason’s reluctant wingman, he now has to help him practice for some kind of written cop test that Jason’s blowing off anyways.

Oh how quickly fortune’s change!  One minute you’re in love, the next minute you’ve got your feet up in stirrups, getting an electronic print out of your uterus, which is exactly how Arlene finds out she’s three months preggers.  That means the baby can’t be Terry’s!  Huh?  Who was Arlene boning three months ago?  Was it Rene?  I’m more confused than intrigued.  Like Tara, who gets a call at Merlotte’s that Eggs’ funeral is going on right now if she’d like to attend.  She shows up, of course, and it turns out Sookie has arranged and paid for the whole thing. Cheesy music plays! BFF’s forever!  Except Sookie offers to let her stay at the house again which seems inadvisable since the last time she crashed there she let Admiral Cain move in and build a giant meat sculpture.

Then night falls on the exact same spot in the cemetery and we’re in the middle of a Civil War era Vampire Bill flashback.  He’s walking to his house where his wife, Carolyn, answers the door, elated to see him. That is, until he starts crying gross blood out of his eyes over his dead by pox son’s coffin.  Then Carolyn pulls out a gun and shoots him only to run screaming from the house into Lorena’s arms.  She calls Bill a demon and begs him to kill her.  As is his broody, self-loathing, morally upstanding way, he refuses.  Lorena, however, is all too happy to oblige her.  But just as she takes Carolyn’s face into her hands, Bill wakes up.  In a bed.  WTF?  Why isn’t he in the ground?  I’m having a nerd continuity fracture.  I thought True Blood vampires had to sleep in SOIL? Is the King’s house underground or something? Sigh.

Jason’s dreaming too – about the usual stuff – heads with bullet holes.  But this time he’s also having a pants less, test anxiety theme going on too which is probably just another excuse to show off his ass.  Time for another drink.  A wake up drink at that.  It’s daylight time in Bon Temps which means there’s a mutilated body to be found.  Lafayette, Hoyt, and Jason find it while doing some kind of man work that involves wearing yellow vests.  In other daylight developments, Sookie hears a hot guy named Alcide Hevereaux’s thoughts as he thinks about her hotness while walking up the steps of her house.  Eric sent ‘im to look after her.

Sam’s long lost parents are looking after him too. They show up at Merlotte’s unannounced and incapable of picking up on social nuance by virtue of their white trashiness.  Sam offers them a free lunch while Sheriff Bud is about ready to lose his at the sight of that recently turned up headless, limbless body.  This, apparently, is his deal breaker moment and he quits the force.

Back at the Stackhouse place, Sookie and Alcide are getting to know each other.  He’s creeped out by how she can read his every thought. She’s getting an education that, just like vampires, not all werewolves are bad.  Alcide is apparently a good one who’s got all kinds of reasons to disapprove of naughty Nazi Operation Werewolf types.  And he don’t work for vamps neither!  Especially ones like Eric Northman who both he and Sookie talk mad shit about.

I’m sure Bill would join them if he wasn’t still having whack-tastic flashback dreams about Lorena and Carolyn.  God! Lorena’s such a bitch!  But she’s saying some stuff that rings true.  Particularly, that between the human and vampire worlds lies only suffering.  Carolyn gets this and begs Bill to kill her.  Instead, he glamours her into blissful forgetfulness.  As Lorena and Bill bury his pox ridden son, she lays some more of her special brand of petty, bitter vamp wisdom on him: The only way to show your love for a human, she says, is to stay away from them.

Bill wakes up in major angst, his face streaked with bloody tears.  Man! These vamps sure are putting Bill through the ringer when it comes to he and Sookie’s unconventional relationship choice.  I mean of course when it gets right down to it, it’s more about vampire politics and backroom deals.  All kinds of opaque plotting like that is going on downstairs where Lorena, Talbot, the King, and one of the OWW weredudes who abducted Bill are enjoying Zimas. Then Bill comes in and surprises everyone by renouncing his fealty to the Queen of Louisiana and the humans she has had him live a-fucking-mong!  Damn. That’s some nice character development right there.  His decision makes perfect sense when juxtaposed against the despair Lorena brought on him back in the day and the threats the King is making to his one true love, Sookie.  He’s coming to terms with what he believes to be his nature and the things he knows to be true.  And the King is kicking Lorena to the curb who, as it turns out, just wanted Sookie dead.

Over at Merlotte’s, Jason is still seeing bullet holes in people’s heads, Arlene “accidentally” tells an an ecstatic Terry about their (NOT) love child, and Sam’s family is getting wasted on what looks like jello shots.  Sam refuses to serve his underage brother and the entire shifter clan leaves in a huff.  Over at Lafayette’s, Eric shows up in a rad maroon sportscar with leather interiors that turns out to be a gift for Lafyette – so long as he can amp up the V distribution ring he’s got going on.

But things are really getting interesting over at Compton Manor where Franklin stops by to visit Jessica.  In a priceless moment, they pull their fangs on one another before she agrees to talk to him.  He finds things, he tells her.  Has anyone gone missing, he asks.  Then he uses her dead truckstop boyfriend’s head as a ventriloquist dummy to threaten her into giving up intel on Bill.

Jason, meanwhile, receives a rejection letter from Bon Temps’ finest, dashing his deputy dreams while Sam wakes up to an alarm going off.  Not the wake up kind, but the intruder kind.  Gun in hand; he goes to take a look. It’s just a a bird.  A thieving brother bird! Who flies away from a puddle of clothes with what I assume is a bunch of money.  Fuckin’ no good white trash shifter relatives.

Alcide and Sookie have made record time to Jackson, where they’re looking for deets on Bill’s disappearance at Lou Pine’s (GET IT?), the oldest were bar in Missisippi.  Alcide leaves Sookie alone so as not to arouse suspicion.  She sashays up to the toughest looking bikers in the place and asks them to buy her a cosmo.  If you think Sashaying and ordering cosmos at a were bar sounds like an ineffective strategy, you’d be right.  Sookie does, however, manage to read the mind of one of Bill’s kidnappers.  She sees Bill! She tries to get the Operation Werewolf dude to take her to him.  He tries to rape her.  Alcide intervenes!  Werewolf bar brawl in full effect!  Alcide basically wins but not before getting his ass kicked, along with his heart.  Apparently his ex ol’ lady is having an engagement party there the next night.  Guess we’ll meet her next week.

At the Stackhouse place, Franklin shows up asking for an invitation in.  Tara’s having none of it until Franklin glamour mind fucks her into it in a truly creepy/sexy scene that turns out to be a prelude to the mother of all creepy sex scenes.  Bill is chilling in his quarters at the King’s mansion when Lorena enters to throw more insults at him for trying to hold onto his sentiment and humanity.  Although she’s being pretty sentimental herself by throwing herself at him after he tells her he’ll never love her.  I guess he never will but one thing’s for sure – these two are going to be hate fucking and torturing each other for all eternity or until one of them kills the other. It looked Lorena was gonna get it for a minute there when Bill twisted her head all the way around, almost clean off, mid power thrust.  But when he gets up to scream in agony and despair over the bad things he’s done and always will do, she’s telling him she’ll always love him.

And I will always love the memory of watching True Blood at Sweet Ups – at least as much as I’ll always hate the cable company.  Which is a lot!  Here’s a few more memorable shots from the evening (most of which were taken by my previously mentioned homie, Shanna, who, incidentally, made this cool short film about two Finish cartoonists stuck in New York due to the Icelandic volcano ash cloud after this year’s Mocca Festival).

Fangbanger, Bartender, Skater, Zinester Extraordinaire, Alex Berry

A highlight of the evening was definitely talking to Alex Berry who is a Comics/Williamsburg force to be reckoned with.  He skates, he draws cool stuff (including comics), and he’s like the busiest bartender in B-burg.  In addition to pulling shifts at Sweet Up’s, Alex also hosts a zine drawing night at Royal Oak Bar. They meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month from 8 PM – 4 AM. Come draw with them tonight!  I believe copies of the zine Alex makes from the evenings (called LIMN) are available at Desert Island.

Team Eric!

I also enjoyed meeting True Blood fan, Elizabeth. We’re both Team Eric.  (Although, really, is anyone on Team Bill at this point?)  She happily made that mangled E Sign with her hand to show her support for the Northman. She’s becoming a True Blood Night Sweet Up’s regular.  Mostly because it’s close to her apartment and she doesn’t get HBO.  All in all, a practical, lovely lady.

Skater bros, Alex and Andy, outside Sweet Ups

This one is my favorite shots of the night.  It was nice to meet a couple of straight, self proclaimed skater dudes who were willing to throw down and obsessively wax poetic about the deeper meanings of True Blood. Alex considers the show to be “the torch getting passed” from modern horror movie greats like Sam Rami and early Peter Jackson stuff. Andy, on the other hand, is more of a quiet modern day Don Draper type.   He just thinks it’s a really good show and was a very competent trivia partner during the extremely complicated and obscure movie/TV quiz Sweet Ups has after True Blood.  And he’s a gentleman!  He saved my seat for me when I had to hit the ATM.

This weekend sees the Maine Comics Arts Festival in Portland, ME. In its second year, the show has expanded to two days — a day of FREE panels at the Portland Public Library this Saturday and then a exhibit on Sunday at the Ocean Gateway. There’s also a comics art show on display at the Lewis Gallery at the Portland Public Library. Guest list is here, headlined by Brian Wood, Skottie Young, and Jeff Lemire. The Portland Press Herald previews the show here and the organizer, Rick Lowell of Casablanca Comics.

“Part of the whole focus of the festival is to raise awareness of what comics are,” said Lowell.

Raising awareness means not only providing access to the artists themselves but also providing educational opportunities for people to learn more about comics and graphic novels. To that end, the comics festival has joined forces with the folks at the Portland Public Library to expand from one day to two. Workshops and presentations have been moved to a separate day, Saturday, and will take place at the library’s main branch on Congress Street. All of Saturday’s events are free and open to the public.

We went to this show last year and had a great time. Our insane schedule doesn’t allow us to go this year, but it looks like another winner.

In short, it’s all happening at TCAF — we expect a full report!

by Matt Maxwell for Comics Beat

I’ve probably started my last three Stumptown reports with this, but I love Portland and the Stumptown Comics Festival. You could rightly say that it’s because Stumptown was the first show that I actually set up at, back in 2007 (has it only been two and a half years of being on the other side of the table?). You could, but I’m not sure how accurate that is. Comparing the Stumptown show of 2007 (in chilly October) to that of 2010 (in springtime cool April) is a tricky thing. The show has grown and been managed in such a way as to make the two very different.

2007 yielded decent attendance for an independent comics show, though that was often long periods of quiet punctuated with silence. Sure, part of that was the fact that I was just selling a mini/ashcan preview then. Nobody else seemed to have any complaints about the size/speed of the show and I didn’t have anything to compare it with, though I remember it not being particularly busy most of the time (a good starter show, as opposed to jumping in with both feet to say Wonder-Con or the like.)

Things have steadily grown since then. Last year, there was solid attendance and a great vibe on the floor, people eager for the opportunity to get something to read, not to keep with the weekly jones or getting sketches from someone just because they drew Batman once. There were plenty of people who worked on superhero/front of the catalog titles (like most of Periscope studios and guys like Randy Emberlin and Joe Quinones). Though for all those faces, there were a bunch of folks from the Portland comics scene who didn’t set up. Even managed to pull in a lot of talented artists from out of the area like Paul Pope, Hope Larson (at least I think she’s from out of town), Tom Neely and Dean Haspiel.

I’ve never been to a MoCCA show or SPX to compare, but Stumptown felt more like a small national gathering of artists than it has in the past. Not that there wasn’t plenty of Portland flavor there; there was. And I have to say, I like Stumptown far better than I’ve liked APE of late. I’ll admit that part of this is the fact that STRANGEWAYS generally shows poorly at APE, which is much more into the DIY and indie crafts side of things than my work. As I said above, folks at Stumptown just want something to read. They don’t care if it came from a gal Xeroxing and stapling at Kinko’s or if it came on pallets from Quebecor. They’re eager to read.

That and the show seems to be drawing more new visitors every year. I’ll just judge by my experience selling MURDER MOON. First year, the book’s been out for a couple months, but like most indie books, doesn’t make much of a ripple in the DM. That weekend, in Stumptown in 2008, I sold ten percent of my initial order to Diamond. Not bad. In 2009, I sold nearly double that. Now this is for a book that’s already been to the show once and has been out for a year. And I sold almost twenty percent of my order to Diamond. In Wonder-Con in 2009, I sold more than thirty percent of that initial order. At this point, convention sales have far outstripped my sales into Diamond.

Now, this year at Stumptown, I did about as well as I did the first year that MURDER MOON was on sale. Which seems unusual. You’d think that everyone who wanted the book would have seen it last year and picked it up. So either people’s tastes are changing (sure, I’d buy that) or more people are coming to shows like Stumptown (I’d bet that) or maybe serializing online has helped expose the book (and anyone who’d seen it online already had it, but that was an extreme minority—most folks didn’t read any comics blogs or sites, but many read webcomics.)

So yeah, I did well. Made table and most of the airfare (and paid for a nice dinner out.) Realistically, I’m trying to make table (as are most smaller publishers; I’d bet that Fantagraphics, Oni and Top Shelf had considerably higher goals). Word from the floor seemed to be that most people were pretty happy with things, I didn’t talk much to any of the larger publishers to get a feel for that (other than to ask Brett Warnock about the MARSHAL LAW collection). Most of the individual artists seemed satisfied with things.

The show itself seemed better organized than in years past (and this is not a passive-aggressive way of saying the show was badly run before, because it wasn’t.) There were some odd wrinkles with my table, but those were all smoothed over in pretty short order. I didn’t attend any of the programming, but by the same token, I didn’t hear any complaints about how things unfolded either.

The aisles themselves got downright busy on Saturday, plenty of dodging and jostling. Though it never turned into a stampede or impassible hallway blockages like even Wonder-Con suffers from in the high-traffic areas now (which made my poor showing there this year even more frustrating). Plenty of people who were there to see simply everything, not just heading to, say, the celebrities to shell out fifty bucks for an autograph. No, I can’t begrudge folks making a living, but that sort of thing takes a huge bite out of people’s wallets, leaving them less cash to spend at other dealers (and I know, none of those people want a weird western anyways).

Though I still can’t get people to go for a Five Minute Story. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Perhaps the market was simply not meant to go that way. It’s too daring, too bold. Or too abstract. The whole idea of a sketch is an instant art piece that anyone can just look at and enjoy. A Five Minute Story takes a moment or two to absorb (which is why you writers out there shouldn’t try to get anyone other than an artist to read your scripts, because they won’t.) Maybe I should just put up a sign that reads FREE SKETCHES and then do it and hand it back to people to see their reaction. Yeah.

However, like most years, Sunday was a lot slower than Saturday. I mean, not Easter at Wonder-Con slow, where I threw in the towel after a few hours, but not as busy as Saturday by a long shot. That’s okay, gave me a chance to walk around a little bit and actually talk to people. Well, a bit more. I ran out of stock on Saturday afternoon at about 4pm (shades of last year!) and was able to get a copy of the new HENRY AND GLENN minicomic from Tom Neely’s table, as well as the collection of horror-mag-inspired covers he did (which was one of the prettiest things at the show.) Also picked up one of the TALES OF THE UNCANNY preview books, looks promising but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t wishing for more TYRANT or a print version of Steve Bissette’s current digital comic: KING OF MONSTER ISLE. Oh, and the collected version of THE ENGINEER, which I half-collected in singles and am looking forward to finally reading. Even got a sketch from Paul Pope and had a chance to chat with him in a civilized, non-insane setting (which simply doesn’t happen on the floor at say SDCC.)

I suspect a lot of the Sunday crowd was sleeping off Saturday, though I’m not sure how many folks were at Cosmic Monkey that night. I mean a lot were, but I’d say that three quarters of them were exhibitors and artists rather than straight-up comics fans. Missed the awards show, kudos to the nominees and winners. But I did stick around for the Comic Art Battle and juggaloo Jeff Parker who played the role to a T. But I have to say, Carla Speed McNeill full-out took Colleen Coover down in their one-on-one caricature battle (sorry Colleen!), but evidently the crowd didn’t see it the same way I did. All involved made for great entertainment, and not a self-loathing moment in the whole night. Fuck that self-loathing shit.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk a bit about my erstwhile hosts in Portland, those being the folks behind Periscope Studios, most notably in my case misters Parker, Lieber, Tobin and Hahn, and non-mister Coover (who even drew something on the iPad, though it was clear that a stylus would have made the whole process easier.) Periscope is a true studio in that everyone is bouncing ideas off one another, arguing about buttoned shirts versus tied shoes and laughing at interns who manage to get chili sauce in their eyes, then subsequently arguing whether tequila or milk would be a better solution to that particular ocular invasion. And the studio doesn’t seem quite so cramped now that they’ve kicked out the tenant next door and blown the wall out. Downright roomy. For now. But if it keeps growing at the rate it has been, they’ll be looking to absorb more floorspace before they know it.

As for the Persicope reaction to the iPad, generally positive, but perhaps not as an art tool, just yet. However, people were impressed that they could read a page at a time without any eyestrain (and not just any page, but a Bronze Age Marvel page, back when they knew how to cram stuff in – hope that Tom Orzechowski got paid by the word and not the page back then). And no, I’m not a paid Apple shill, though frankly, I oughta be, bringing a thing like that into a studio of twenty or so artists/interns/creative types. Though I maintain that it’ll be the knock-offs following in Apple’s footsteps that really change things around for the broader populace. But I’ll serve my role as early adopter quite happily. In my off-time, I finished up reading Jack Kirby’s run on KAMANDI and blazed through all of the Starlin WARLOCK (which at moments is still breathtakingly innovative and unlike anything in the mainstream today, even thirty years later, even if it is too emo by half.)

Have to say, the studio experience makes me wish I didn’t live out in the sticks, but then I wonder how much work I could get done in that kind of environment. I suppose the novelty would wear off and pretty soon I’d be back to my surly, sit-in-a-corner-type-self with my head down and trying to ignore the constant stream of distractions. But it sure is nice to visit once in a while.

And I do wish every city was as interested in comics, much less just getting something to read, as Portland seems to be. Granted, my sample set is skewed. But I’ll take it where I can get it.

[Matt Maxwel's complete Stumptown Flickr set can be found here. ]